Genevieve Asenjo’s book “pula ang kulay ng text message” is now off the press. Her collection of poems in Kiniray-a with Filipino translation is one of the recipient of Fray Luis de Leon Creative Writing Grants given by the Fray Luis de Leon Creative Writing Institute (FLDCWI), Coordinating Center for Research and Publications of the University of San Agustin.

A two time Palanca awardee for short story (Hiligaynon Division) and winner of Homelife’s poetry contest for several times, Asenjo teaches at the De LaSalle University and serves as the Assistant Director for Bienvenido Santos Creative Writing Center. She finished her MFA in Creative Writing and pursuing a Doctor's degree on the same school.

ISANG MISIS SA PANAHONG DE-GLORYA

Pinakamaiksi

Ang ating yakapan at halikan

Sa madaling-araw.

Tilaok ng manok

Ang harurot ng mga sasakyan

At kailangan mo muling mag-baka-sakali

Sa mga ahensya at kompanya.

Kaagad mong binuksan ang tv,

Hindi na ang bintana.

Sa pagbasa ng panahon sa nagmamadaling

Balita: isang binata ang kumitil ng buhay

Nang matuklasang di-sapat ang diploma

Sa pagsilo ng maipang-gasolina

Sa katawa’t kaluluwa.

Umusal ako ng panalangin—May ingat ng pagpatungpatong ko ng mga unan;

Gusto kong sigla at ningning sa aking mga mata

Ang iyong baunin at hindi, hindi

Ang pira-pirasong sugat sa isip at dibdib

Sa pagkapaslang ng sistemang kontraktwal

Sa pangarap nating lampas sa pagkain

Tatlong beses isang araw.

Itong pananalig, palangga,

Ang una nating ipapakibaka

Upang manatili tayong buo

Pinakamaiksi man ang ating

Yakapan at halikan

Sa mga madaling-araw..

Meanwhile, Kristian Cordero’s book “Santigwar” is now available at Datelines Bookshop, Araneta Center, Cubao, QC.

Writer's group Guniguni: The Absent Muse has come up with its first literary anthology entitled Blank Paper Will Always Be At The Ready. Edited by Marie Bismonte, Alexander Agena, Allan Lopez and Jose Jason L. Chancoco, it features works in English and Tagalog/Filipino by fresh voices inPhilippine literature.

Guniguni: The Absent Muse is an on-line community of literary artists led by Marie Bismonte with local and international membership. Interaction is mainly via the e-group guniguni@yahoogroups.com where members post their works for critiquing. It is also where they share poems by favorite poets and exchange insights with regard to the ends and means of literary practice. They also meet regularly in various places in Metro Manila.

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The launch is set for May 20, Saturday, 7PM at Likha Diwa in Krus na Ligas, UP-Diliman. Copies wil be available at PhP100.

We received a call from Jon Lazam, the writer and codirector of the Cinemalaya entry Mga Anino sa Apuhap, seeking support for the video after it was disapproved by producer Robbie Tan. On April 28, Tan verbally declared the disqualification of the Cinemalaya full-length finalist Mga Anino sa Apuhap in the presence of the video project's production team headed by Lazam, writer and codirector. It came to them as a surprise since the group had been assured by Tan on several occasions that they can proceed with the production even when he has not approved yet the release of the first tranche of the seed grant (P200,000) from the Cinemalaya Foundation. As a result, by the time they were disqualified, the group had already spent more than P50,000 on costumes, props, set furnishings, post-production equipment, and other expenses. Furthermore, they had already made arrangements with actors Victor Neri, Assunta de Rossi and Lauren Novero, among others, regarding the production's shooting schedule and had been meeting with them to discuss the script and the planned treatment for the video.

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According to Jon, the grounds why such a decision had been made were not clear although one of the possible reasons the project was disqualified might have been the production's failure to convince the Cinemalaya Monitoring Committee on a "realistic" counterfinancing plan.

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The production team of Mga Anino sa Apuhap is waiting for a formal disqualification letter from the Cinemalaya Organizing Committee. However, it has been more than a week since Tan's announcement and they have not received an official word from the organizers of the festival of feature-length videos. Meanwhile, the team has sent a written letter of appeal for reconsideration to Nestor Jardin, president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The center is one of the organizers of Cinemalaya. However, since the deadline for the submission of the rough cut of the video is less than two weeks from now, the group feels that the only recourse is to ask for an audience with the members of the committee and be granted the proper venue to appeal their case.

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A number of Cinemalaya finalists from last year and this year, as well as concerned video directors and artists have pledged their support for the group's appeal through a signature campaign that was launched during an informal meeting last Friday at Round EyeGlass on Adriatico Street in Malate. This encouragement, as well as the untiring commitment of the artists involved in the project, is the main reason the group behind Mga Anino sa Apuhap vowed to go on whatever the outcome of their appeal.

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Mga Anino sa Apuhap is an attempt to look into the woeful plight of blind musicians from the perspective of a band leader who had in the past his fair share of fame and glory, but who now has to deal with the fear of facing an inauspicious future.

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For those who want to show their support for this project, or have any questions or comments, you can contact the people involved in the project at 0917-463-4086 or send an e-mail to: forkupine@yahoo.com.